GETTING
AWAY
Ship’s Log
Splendor
Cruise Line: Carnival
Passenger Capacity: 3006
Itineraries: 7-day Mexican Riviera cruises, round trip from Long Beach
It’s a bit disconcerting to wake in pitch black,
so deeply ensconced in the womb of a massively
grand liner that not even a porthole gives a
pinprick clue as to the hour.
So began my first morning on the newest member
of Carnival’s fleet of fun ships. Like a Vegas
showgirl, the Splendor is flamboyantly appointed,
from pink zebra stripes down to glittering gold
leaf detailing.
Her interior is comprised by a sparkling atrium,
bars at every turn (including one exclusively
for coffee drinkers), a gift shop, library and
a grand theatre venue.
The casino décor, ubiquitous cocktails, nightly
shows, and late night disco lent the flare of
a weekend on the Vegas strip to the two-day preview
excursion. Within eight hours of embarking I
had seamlessly drifted into an otherworldly nightlife
existence. By 10 p.m. we had only just finished
our late dinner in the Black Pearl dining room
(brought to a head when the wait staff performed
a dance number), which we encored with the midnight
comedy show in the plush El Morocco lounge, sandwiched
on either end by hours at the disco.
For this sailing, the Splendor departed from
San Francisco rather than its home port of Long
Beach, Calif. Without any stops to ground the
voyage, I felt strangely detached from the unbound
ocean that glinted at me through the windows.
My windowless interior cabin underscored the
disconnect, glowing a cozy orange in lamp light,
which once extinguished allowed for uninterrupted
gestation no matter the hour.
Also, rather than spanning the entire perimeter,
outdoor decks are only available on either end
of the ship. Reaching open air requires crossing
a series of antechambers, including the yawning
lido deck, and bypassing a gauntlet of buffets.
Even then, the first rude burst of chilly outdoors
sent me scurrying back into the bosom of the
boat.
However, given more time and the warmer climes
of its intended environs (the Mexican Rivera),
I expect that Mama Splendor would have birthed
an entirely different half-life in the wake of
earning her party-ship stripes. One that would
no doubt include frenetic port calls tempered
by long hours logged in Cloud 9, the largest
onboard spa yet to grace the fun ship fleet.
— Lindsay DeChacco
Photo: courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line
